Matthew Swanson

A native of southeast Iowa, Matthew Swanson begins his appointment as the May Festival Conducting Fellow in September 2015. In this capacity, he assists Robert Porco in the direction of the May Festival Chorus and James Bagwell in the direction of the May Festival Youth Chorus. In addition, he leads community outreach and engagement activities on behalf of the May Festival throughout the year. Swanson is staff conductor for Berkshire Choral International, where he assists conductors, manages the BCI Apprentice Program, leads community outreach activities, and teaches courses in music history. Recent conducting engagements include concerts at the Cincinnati Early Music Festival, performances with Cincinnati’s Musica Sacra, the Cambridge University Baroque Ensemble, the King’s College Music Society, and frequent appearances with ensembles at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). Swanson serves on the musical staff of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, where he works with the Training Choirs of NYCGB. Prior to his appointment as conducting fellow, Swanson sang in the May Festival Chorus for three seasons, and currently performs with Cincinnati's Vocal Arts Ensemble. As a speaker and presenter, he has given pre-concert talks for the Bravo! Vail Music Festival and Live at CCM, and he continues to collaborate with the Cincinnati Public Library in their ongoing series, “Listen to This.”

Swanson is Assistant Choirmaster at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Cincinnati. Prior to his appointment at Redeemer, he was Master of the Schola at the Chapel of St. John Fisher, Cambridge, UK. He holds undergraduate degrees in trumpet performance and American Studies from the University of Notre Dame, and earned graduate degrees in conducting and choral studies from CCM and King’s College, Cambridge.